In a bold step against rising online fraud, WhatsApp banned over 6.8 million accounts in the first half of 2025. The Meta-owned messaging app revealed on Tuesday that it is intensifying efforts to dismantle global scam networks that target users across platforms.
The company explained that the banned accounts were part of organized operations run by criminal scam syndicates, some of which operated out of fraud hotspots like Cambodia.
“In the first six months of this year, as part of our proactive work to protect people from scams, WhatsApp detected and banned over 6.8 million accounts linked to scam centers,” the platform said in a blog post.
WhatsApp Rolls Out New Safety Tools
To strengthen user protection, WhatsApp also introduced new features designed to help people identify suspicious messages and groups before they fall victim.
One of the tools, called a group safety overview, activates when users are added to a group by someone outside their contact list. This feature immediately shows if:
The group creator is in the user’s contacts
Other members are known
Safety tips are available for better decision-making
WhatsApp also mutes such group invitations by default. Users must actively choose to stay, a change that limits surprise entries into potentially risky chats.
In addition, the platform is testing safety prompts in private messages. These prompts appear when users receive messages from unknown numbers, encouraging them to pause, verify, and think before responding. This step targets one of the most common scam tactics used today.
Generative AI Used in Scam Campaigns
In a particularly alarming case, WhatsApp confirmed a collaboration with OpenAI to uncover a fraud network using ChatGPT-generated messages to deceive users.
Scammers began conversations on platforms like Facebook and Instagram using AI-written messages. Once victims responded, they were drawn into WhatsApp chats and eventually redirected to Telegram. There, they faced more aggressive fraud schemes, including:
Fake micro-task jobs
Rental scooter investment scams
Cryptocurrency fraud promising unrealistic returns
These scams often followed a pattern. They began with low-risk tasks, moved to fake dashboards showing inflated earnings, and ended with requests for real-money transfers.
WhatsApp’s Advice for Staying Safe
To help users stay protected, WhatsApp recommends a few basic fraud prevention tips:
Be cautious with unsolicited messages
Avoid rushing into decisions
Verify identities through another communication method
The new contextual safety prompts are designed to support these habits and help users recognize scams early.
WhatsApp confirmed that these updates are rolling out gradually and will continue evolving based on user feedback and new fraud trends.
